


A very merry Christmas

by pigalle



Series: Holiday fics [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes Recovering, Christmas, Christmas Dinner, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Christmas Sweaters, I Love You, M/M, Mistletoe, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 22:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5515745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pigalle/pseuds/pigalle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky's first Christmas back, and Steve is slightly worried how he'll be. But, as it turns out, there's no need to worry. Not when Bucky has Steve there by his side.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A very merry Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas to you all!
> 
> Here in Sweden we celebrate Christmas today, so this is, well, my Christmas present to you.

Bucky looked absolutely adorable in his christmas sweater. It was blue, with a snowman grinning dorkily on it. And while Bucky himself looked somewhat grumpy, Steve felt so happy. He was wearing a matching red sweater with a reindeer, and basking in the happiness of being able to dress up matchingly with Bucky to christmas. God, it had been so long, way too long. Back before they hadn’t had enough money to properly celebrate, and then all the stuff happened with Hydra once they both were back. Steve felt like he could honestly kill the person who’d try to ruin it this year, winter soldier reference or not from their side.

Steve stretched his hand out to Bucky, hoping he’d take it. Ever since he got back he’d been reluctant with touches, and recently Steve had learned it was because he didn’t want to hurt Steve. Again. His heart broke just thinking about it.

Steve smiled deeply when Bucky took it without any reluctance and even gave a small smile. Together they walked out the door, taking the elevator from their floor of the tower to what had been dubbed “the common-room”. Tony had arranged for a small christmas party/celebration for the team and it’s closest family. Sometimes Steve thought it was because he and Bucky didn’t have anyone but each other to celebrate with, that Tony wanted to show them they were not alone.

They got out of the elevator and walked hand in hand to the room. Already from a distance they could hear the others talking and laughing amongst each other, with the soft sound of Christmas music in the background. Steve recognized one from back before the war and smiled softly.

Though, when he saw the doorway he halted, his smile faltering. In the doorway hang a mistletoe, mocking him with it’s healthy green leaves and gleaming red band holding it in place. It was not that he didn’t want to kiss Buck — God knew he did — he just didn’t want to force Bucky into something.

He was about to let go of Bucky’s hand when a soft tug transferred his focus to said man. Bucky was looking at him, a smile playing on his beautiful lips. “C’mon.”

Steve was still in a surprised daze as Bucky tugged with him to the doorway. Bucky glanced up at the mistletoe, then back down to trail along the curve of Steve’s lips. His eyes flickered up to Steve’s eyes and leaned in slowly. The way his lips had moved up in a crooked way — Bucky’s way of smirking — Steve felt like he was trying to tease him.

Steve flashed him a smirk of his own and leaned in the last bit, closing his lips over Bucky's soft ones. The kiss was somewhat awkward, the way their lips couldn’t help curling up in small smiles, but Steve loved it nonetheless. Bucky had been the one to instigate it, which was a big step from how he’d been just a few weeks ago.

Steve eventually pulled back and smiled lovingly to the man he’d finally get to spend the rest of his life with.

“We should probably go now, I’ll assume the other’s are waiting,” Steve said, to which Bucky nodded with a smile of his own.

“Capsicle! And Grumpy-cat, too!” Tony exclaimed when they walked in the room and made their presence known. “Happy you finally decided to join us. We were just about to go looking for you so we could eat.”

A big table was set in the middle of the room, and at Tony's words everyone began sitting down. Steve walked to a place with two empty chairs next to each other and sat down. But before Bucky could sit down, Darcy hurried forward and sat down. Bucky looked around, seeming so lost it made Steve's heart ache a little.

"Um, Darcy, I'm very sorry, but do you think Bucky could get that seat? He's still getting used to all this, and..."

Darcy looked around at Bucky, and when she saw him she stood up with an apologizing smile. Bucky hurried to sit down, his face filled with relief.

Steve put a hand lightly on Bucky's arm and asked quietly: "Are you alright?"

Bucky nodded and said just as quietly: "It's okay, I'm fine."

"You're doing great, Buck," Steve said with one of the smiles he only ever gave Bucky.

While Bucky mostly kept quiet or talked to Steve during the meal, at a few moments Bucky smiled or laughed slightly, and every time it made Steve's chest swell with love. Bucky was doing so well with recovery, made such fast progress. When Pepper complimented his sweater he blushed and said a quiet thank you. After he turned quieter and turned more to Steve, but Steve was certain that was only because he didn't know how to act after the compliment, and took it as another progress: he did, in fact, say thank you.

After the meal they moved to the couches - more had been put in to fit all - Steve and Bucky sitting down with Sam. Aside from Steve, Sam was one of few people that Bucky felt comfortable with, a result of Sam always being there to help Steve, and therefor also Bucky.

"How're you doin'?" Sam asked when he slumped into the opposite end of the couch to where Steve and Bucky had sat down almost on top of each other.

"I'm ... good," Bucky said with a small smile after a few seconds thought.

"I'm great," Steve said with a smile of his arm, tightening his arm around Bucky's shoulder as a hug.

They made small talk with each other, eating candy whenever it passed by them. As the night dragged on, most of the guest filled out, until it was only the Avengers team left. Tony already had a bottle of alcohol in his hand, probably had had since hours back.

"Merry Christmas everyone," he half slurred and dropped down into a couch, way on his way to getting drunk.

While Steve maybe before missed being able to get drunk, right now he did not feel any want to. He finally had Bucky back, and he wanted to be fully there for him.

Clint and Natasha had gotten into what looked like a friendly wrestling match, it had probably something to do with a bet of some sort, Steve was sure. Bruce and Thor sat on a couch and seemed to be deep in a discussion about something.

Steve moved over slightly on the couch so that Bucky could lean back and relax on his chest, and placed both his arms around his waist in an embrace. Bucky sighed hapoily and rested his head under Steve's chin. He took Steve's hands in his right, and said so quietly Steve almost missed it:"I love you."

Steve tightened his arms around Bucky and kissed the top of his head. "I love you too."

He was so happy his insides felt like a gooey mess. It was the first time since after the war that Bucky had said it, and it made Steve even happier that Bucky had been the first to say it.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Sam eyeing them with a smile. While they hadn't told anyone of their relationship - it was easier that way until Bucky had gotten completely comfortable - Sam of course knew from all the time he had spent with them.

Bucky had fallen asleep when Natasha came over and sat down in he couch with them. She eyed Steve and Bucky with her eyebrows only slightly raised.

"So when did that happen?" she asked and nodded her head to them.

"Oh, it's nothing new," Steve said and smiled down at Bucky. "We're just getting used to it again."

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on [tumblr](http://jennypigalle.tumblr.com)


End file.
